08 15 2021

Unit Title – Elijah: Living Outside the Comfort Zone

Lesson Title – Serve With Loyalty

Central Truth – God deserves our loyalty and service.

Text – I King 18:20-26; 31-39




Elijah and the prophets of Baal

The lesson truth seems quite obvious. We serve our schools, our civic organizations, our community, our nation all with varying degrees of loyalty. We also serve God and His kingdom hopefully with the greatest degree of loyalty and commitment. God deserves our loyalty and service, even when so many other interests seem to compete for our allegiance.


The story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal facing off at Mt. Carmel is one of the most epic confrontations between God and evil in the Old Testament. Elijah had been through so much to this point in his confrontation with Ahab and Jezebel, his time in the desert, and his time with the widow of Zarephath. Each time and place God had provided and proven Himself faithful to Elijah. All that God had done was in preparation for this moment.


We see in the beginning of chapter 18 that over three years had passed since rain had fallen. God instructs Elijah to go and present himself to Ahab, then He would send rain to the land. Elijah’s response was again one of unquestioning obedience. Verse 2 indicates that Elijah went immediately and without question. (Reading all of chapter 18 will help fill in background for the focal passage beginning in verse 20.) Ahab sees Elijah coming and greets him with a question, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” I can only imagine the tone of contempt in Ahab’s voice. However, Elijah responds directly reminding the king that his abandonment of God’s commands and his embracing the Baals are the cause the Israel’s troubles. Elijah directs Ahab to summon the false prophets of Baal and Asherah. Eight- hundred and fifty in all. He also is to summon all the leadership of Israel to Mt. Carmel. Here Elijah poses a question that reminds me of Joshua’s (24:15) words telling the Israelites to choose that day who they will serve, the gods of the Amorites or the one true LORD. Elijah asks the people how long will they waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God follow Him, but if you think Baal is God, then follow him. 


We can apply this question also. How often do we place our faith in the treasures of this world? David in Psalm 86:11 prays for an undivided heart. Ezekiel 11:19 and Jeremiah 24:7 also speak of returning to God wholeheartedly. Finally, Jesus preached in Matthew 6 that we cannot serve two masters. We will love one and despise the other.


So Elijah proposed that they build separate altars and prepare two bulls for a burnt offering. They would each call on their god to consume the offering by fire. On the surface the odds were not encouraging – 850 to 1 against Elijah - but we know God makes a majority all by Himself.


We see in these verses 26-38 that the prophets of Baal tried in vain to get a response. Elijah even poked fun at them suggesting that Baal was asleep, or traveling, or even in the bathroom. Despite their numbers, their cries, their dancing, and their self-mutilation Baal was silent.


Elijah’s turn was next. The arrangement is described in some detail. The altar was built to specifications. The twelve stones represented the tribes descended from Jacob. The altar was doused with water not once but three times. This was enough water to fill the trench dug around the altar. Then Elijah calmly evoked the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel to accept the offering. At that moment fire fell from heaven and completely consumed the sacrifice and also the wood, the stones, the soil, and the water in the trench. Elijah’s purpose is important. He asked so that the people would know that you “O LORD are God, and you are turning their hearts back again.” The people saw and believed and responded in repentance crying out “The LORD – he is God! The LORD – he is God!”


(Please read the rest of chapter 18.0 After the false prophets are disposed of, Elijah went to the mountain to pray. God would soon send rain from the cloud Elijah first saw in the distance. There is so much we more we could say about today’s lesson, but there isn’t space here. God again shows His power and supremacy. He alone deserves our loyalty and service. Like the Israelites we to must chose (daily) who we will serve. It is easy to judge the people of Elijah’s day harshly for their failures, but we need to remind ourselves that idolatry takes many forms. Let us strive to be loyal and put away anything in our lives that might compete for our allegiance.


I leave with some verses that may help steer us in the right direction.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33


“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” Luke 9:23-24


“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20




(This email will be automatically re-sent to non-openers of Friday morning at 6:30 AM)
Thanks again for reading and blessings to you.

Chris Larsen
Rev Chris Larsen | Email Chris